GENERAL INFORMATION

Arlia Kreiston(Pronunciation: Arr-Lee-uh Cry-ston) was born and raised in Vylbrand on a farmstead near Limsa Lominsa, and like most Highland folk, has ancestral roots linked to Ala Mhigo. Throughout her life thus far, the thrills and curious dangers of adventure have been her calling -- and she has been obliged to follow that path since. So long as drink, companionship, opportunity, and whatever intrigues cross her travels ahead, she'll be the happiest damn woman in Eorzea. She is a barbarian by nature and proves her worth through example. Given the chance and time, she could prove to be a natural leader as well. Eorzea needs heroes! And she aims to be one of them. For glory!

APPEARANCE

Arlia stands at 6 fulms & 2 ilms, weighing at around 200 ponzes; athletic and chiseled in structure while still serving enough curvature and breast to show for (something about those Highlander genes), an equally chiseled face, foresty green eyes, loomed with dark circles around them that indicate past times of sleeplessness and/or hardships. Complimenting her figure, her skin is a warm, olive tone--nearly covered from neck to feet with elegant tattoos of spirals, vine-like patterns, and seemingly mystical symbols. Lastly, her hair is dark, naturally wavy and typically adorned with a small variety of accessories that give off a tribal look. Accessories such as beads, feathers, fangs, horns, or metal bands. At times, she may even have dreadlocks added along the sides of her head. But out of all decors, she always had three black chocobo feathers bound to a lock of hair, hanging just behind her left ear. She dislikes and disregards make-up, and as such, will never dare to don it. Instead, she prefers the fiercer looking Warpaint and a single piercing just below her lower lip that holds a black bead.

While her wardrobe does include more 'civil' garbs (albeit simple), the most ideal of her attires consist of pelts and leathers, hand-crafted out of materials her previous hunts and built for the rugged frontiers; from the forests, mountains, grasslands, deserts, and beyond. What they typically lack in fashion, they make up for in comfort and durability. With her hunters' clothing, she includes--once more--a bit of accessory to the mix with the main piece being her torc neckpiece; a silver ring that wraps around the neck but leaves a small opening at the front. Her other adornments consist of necklaces or bracelets made from more simple materials such as weavings, bones or fangs, beads, and wooden carvings. Gold and silver are less common.

PERSONALITY

Charming. Spirited. Strong. Despite her lone-wolf nature (with the exception of her chocobo companion), Arlia maintains a level of charm to her person. Surprisingly preferring a play at words over drawing the axe (unless it's for show and tell). She is who she is either friends and strangers alike, with little concern over who chooses to disdain her behavior--seeing little point in pleasing everyone. Thus, she tends to present herself as an easygoing and confident woman and takes few things all too seriously unless the moment truly demands it. She is a free-spirited woman. Independent and self-reliant as her lifestyle would have it, and she values companionship and loyalty--and thus, stays true to those she keeps close. And while no stranger to hardship, she lets very few things dampen her spirit.

LIKES

MEAD! As one of her childhood story heroes once said, 'There is nothing a large quanity of mead cannot fix!' A philosophy she strongly abides.

Nature It is as grand as it is ancient to her eyes. Nature is both beautiful and graceful yet cruel and unforgiving at the same time. She strongly embraces either concept, as well as its philosophies.

Archery Archery is a natural talent, and her most prized discipline. As much as she cherishes a fine axe, the bow is her finer choice of weapon and tool.

Hunting There is pride and glory to be had in hunting. Not only as a means of sustenance, but as a means of honing the mind and challenging the body.

DISLIKES

Immorality She does not take kindly to those without honor or honesty. From cheaters to exploiters to traitors.

Posh A shiny and pampered lifestyle is a sign of weakness in her eyes.

Weakness In the context of one or many who choose to submit rather than fight or refuse to stand up for themselves are viewed as lesser--but rarely treated poorly for their own sake.

Lemons Lemons are bad luck. They unsettle her, due to past traumatic experiences where lemons were involved one way or another.

STRENGTHS

Independence Self-reliance and individual worth are a prize. Life's biggest, even! And it's not something she is ready to give up so easily.

Fit Life on the frontier is physically demanding. As such, it is only right she oblige that demand through rigorous activity to better herself!

Loyalty Companionship is one of her greater values. Close friends aren't easy to come by, and her family is few. Regardless of which, she will fight for without second thought.

Adaptability As a woman of the frontiers, to survive is to adapt to the conditions you're faced with. To her, she faces little trouble in such situations.

WEAKNESSES

Impatient Patience when on the hunt differs from her patience with other people. While generally loose and easygoing, she still has the potential temper of a bear when prodded past her limits.

Mannerism Etiquette doesn't come easily nor naturally to Arlia. She disdains the very notion of 'proper etiquette'. Give her a tankard of ale, and she'll belch as loudly and proudly as she could. Give her a good pork roast, and she'll scarf it down like a half-starved wolf.

Territorial She's protective over her belongings unless permitted. Things like her weaponry is meant for her hands only. Reach for her meal or drink, and one risks being bitten... Literally.

Stubborn She cannot easily admit her own defeat, at risk of humiliation or shattered pride. At best, she merely let her opponent win, or lost her focus.

CURRENT INVENTORY

This is a list of the items that CHARACTER currently is keeping on THEIR person. Feel free to use this information if it comes up logically in the course of RP, such as pickpocketing, a search, etc.

Last Updated: 4/26/2018

Tomahawk & Dagger Arlia's go-to sidearms, brought with her just about wherever she goes. Both tools provide a wide array of uses to her during her treks through the frontiers. In addition, she is also practiced in an agile and brutal combative style that uses both weapons.

Warhorn Crafted from bone and metal with decorative symbols inscribed into the length of this horn. While serving no significant purpose, it is a sort of good-luck charm to Arlia, as well as something to merely sound off in early mornings.

Torc Neckpiece Made of silver with the ends shaped into tiny bear heads, this horseshoe-shaped neckpiece is her favored piece of accessory. To Arlia, the bear is the animal that best represents (and is her favorite amongst all beasts).

Smoking pipe & dried herbs On certain occasions, such as after a fine meal or a serene moment where she simply wants to kick back and relax, she'll fetch out this lovely craft from her pack to enjoy the relieving essence her mixed herbal supplements bring to her person.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

COMBAT & WEAPONRY

No stranger to a scrap or skirmish, Arlia has had some use of a variety of weapons throughout her years. But out of all of those she's tried--be they pikes or swords or daggers--she is most practiced in archery and axe fighting; two-handed and single-handed. The use of her fists (mixed with a bit of wrestling) tends to be used as a last resort or best saved for a scrap.

Early in life, the use of two-handed axes were first taught to her by her father. While later, after resettling in Black Shroud, a unique form of axe & dagger prowess and further archery discipline were provided by her mentor, Sebastian, a Twin Adder soldier.

Bow & Arrows

Archery is her passion. In her youth, it proved to be a natural talent of Arlia's, and she has honed the discipline ever since. Her current bow, while bearing no significant nickname, means much to her. Finely crafted and reinforced with metallic bands along the limbs, with two feathers at the top end of its length as decoration.

Axe

The axe! Simple in structure and packs a mean punch, whether it is sharpened or not! It was and will always be her secondary choice of weapon. Her two handed axe techniques were passed down to her by her father, who in turned, learned from his father and so on--as was the apparent tradition of her Ala Mhigan side. As such, she holds such practices with pride and is always eager to put them to the test.

Tomahawk & Dagger

The techniques that bring both handaxe and dagger together were both developed and taught by her mentor, Sebastian Gunnar, a veteran Twins Adder soldier and fellow Highlander who was one of the first few to welcome her to Gridania. This combination was both agile and deadly if used properly, and best used in skirmish and guerrilla-tactic conflicts.

Pankration

Her last resort (or to-go method for a good old fashion tavern brawl). Another discipline that was co-developed and taught by her mentor. While it is most definitely an offshoot of the original style, it still remains very similar in concept; a combination of wrestling and boxing. Packing brutal punches and ground-slamming.

BACKSTORY

From Tiny Acorns...

Arlia is the eldest daughter of an Ala Mhigan adventurer-turned-Maelstrom soldier, Ranulf Kreiston, and a Thanalan Midlander milkmaid and wine brewer, Phoebe Sadiyya (later Kreiston, before having their younger daughter). Born and raised in one of the earlier (and relatively tamer) farmsteads around La Noscea. As such, when grown out of her diapers and capable of walking on two legs, she naturally took to exploring the world she knew before it was time to begin the simple and honest life of tending crops and keeping an eye on livestock. By the time her younger sister, Admiah, was able to tag along, she made it her unspoken duty to keep the minor Kreiston safe and away from the big bad bullies (and local predatory life). Farmlife did well enough for her. It was honest and adaptable. But as she grew, her curiosities of the world beyond the fields of crops and livestock grew as well. At age ten, each chance she got, she would climb the rocky hills of La Noscea and trek the grasslands. Not only admiring its natural beauty, but studying its life. Out and about, she grew a fascination for the 'wild' side of nature and its knacks. In time, after catching the attention of her father, he would hand her her first bow to practice with. And later, teach her how to hunt and trap simple game. Around this time, it was discovered that she actually had a knack for ranged tools.

Everything all seemed to be about balance in her early years. If she wasn't tending crops and brewing wine with her mother, she was honing her talent for archery and learning how to hunt with her father. If she was away from her parents, she was either bringing Admiah along on minor adventures or trying push her into becoming stronger through child-play wrestling or passing down her father's knowledge. While Arlia's attempts were fruitless in the end due to differing interests or lack thereof, she still loved her sister through and through. This did, however, prove that Arlia was more physically capable than her younger sister. With each passing year, the differences became all the more obvious; Arlia took after her father's Highlander lineage, while Admiah took on more of their mother's Midlander traits--an observation Arlia still jests about in their current days.

Life was simple for her. It was something she was fully content with, and never wished for anything more. In her time of rest and relaxation, her mind was set on the stories of heroes and glory--most of all, stories of Highlanders of Eld, either fictional or non-fictional. In her youth, she aspired to be like them. To one day strive for that sense of honor, glory, and companionship amongst her kinsmen or battle-friends alike. At the age of fourteen, through the motivation of these stories did she finally partake in axe training with her father. While content with the farmer and wine brewer's life, this path to a warrior's life felt proper. It felt right. And she aspired to be like her ancestors--or even the Highlander Heroes in her favored tales.

... To Great Oaks

In her adolescence, Arlia's life saw a slight number of changes...
While she was still very much a large help in brewing wine with her mother, she began to see less and less of the farmer's life and more exploration beyond the confounds of the farmstead; an unfortunate case for the local farmers, considering most of them typically asked for her help due to her physical prowess... But fortunate for Arlia, as her passion for adventure, hunting, and glory-seeking soared. Around this time, she took to seeing more of Vylbrand--from the nearby settlements to the dangerous corners were predators and highwaymen alike prowled. Neither were of great concern to her nonetheless--for she prided herself on being a hunter. As such, the shadows were her refuge.

If she wasn't out and about, she largely took on her father's teachings of the axe, while she continued a sort of self-training discipline with her archery talents--a feat that continued to impress. And if she wasn't with her father? She was on her own. Doing very little mingling with the children she had grown up with. Almost all except one, who some would say was her childhood sweetheart, Darius Stag--a Highlander boy who was heir to his father's small but talented mercenary company. With Darius, Arlia founded a sense of mischief to her personality. Through him, she found enjoyment in the thrill of trickery.

Life? Life remained as it was, for the most part.
She still loved her tales of heroic Highlanders. Remained content in the farmer's life. And continued to strive for greatness as a self-proclaimed Ala Mhigan warrior. She still loved her family--parents and sister to relatives alike despite their differing likenesses. An example being, her grandfather from Phoebe's side would try to motivate Arlia into taking on his family's tradition of owning a farm and taking on the family's wine business--a business that has been around for generations. While her grandparents from her father's side pushed her into honing her strength and skill so she could lend her aid in the cause to, one day, retake Ala Mhigo, her ancestral homeland...

FAMILY & TRIBE

Thoughts:"Often times... I look to the stars at night. Wishing you were still here. Wishing for your advice about life. Wishing we could brew wine together, again."

Phoebe was a dark-skinned and green-eyed Midlander woman who, according to Arlia's grandfather, hails from a long family history of talented farmers and wine brewers & merchants. Originally from Thanalan, Phoebe had re-settled in Vylbrand for unspecified reasons. When she wasn't tending to her farmhand affairs, she was busying herself with her wine business; upholding the family traditions she'd come from--often times relying on her eldest daughter to aid in the day-to-day tasks when the lass wasn't busy swinging axes and wandering off. To Arlia, Phoebe was also a prime source of advice and criticism.
She had passed away sometime during the events that led to the Calamity.

Ranulf Kreiston, father. (♥❖)

Thoughts:"What I'd give to have a heart-to-heart over a warm mead with the greatest man I've ever known... The biggest reason as to who I am today."

Ranulf is a Highlander man, hailing from a wave of Ala Mhigan refugees. During his youth, and like many of his kinsmen, much of his life was spent in hardship and preserving the Ala Mhigan way. From Black Shroud to Thanalan, he endured the harsh trials of an Ala Mhigan refugee and wanderer. But rather than struggle to get by, he would eventually take up the life of adventure and odd-jobs. Which would, in time, lead him to Vylbrand where he would not only meet his wife-to-be, but also enlist with Maelstrom. During Arlia's youth, if she wasn't tending to crops and brewing with her mother or idling about with her own little journeys, she was alongside her father, honing her skills with the bow and the blades (mostly axe and sword).
Ranulf had fallen in the Battle of Carteneau. His last thoughts being those of his wife and daughters.

Admiah Kreiston, Sister. (♥🔒)

Thoughts:”My dearest sister. So close, yet so far... No matter what. I will always love you.”

Admiah is the youngest of the two daughters. And as fate's sense of humor would have it, while Arlia inherited much of her father's Ala Mhigan roots, Admiah took after her mother in physique. Which ultimately led to her elder sister proclaiming Admiah as 'the Lesser Kreiston' or the 'Soft and Squishy Sister'. Nonetheless, the two maintain a relatively strong bond. And even more-so ever since the loss of their parents during their adolescence. While Admiah lacks the brawn and loud confidence of her sister, she makes up for it with her adorably awkward behavior and utmost kindness towards others. And while the two are prone to butting heads, their inner bond remains unbroken and unwavering.

Piney, Chocobo. (♥✔🔒)

Thoughts:"Smart enough not to talk, fool enough to poke the hungry bear."

Piney is a black chocobo of unknown origin (though Arlia seems convinced he's an escaped chocobo from Ishgard). He has an uncanny level of intelligence to add, he is mischievous sort. The relationship between Piney and Arlia is that of mutual respect and acceptance toward one another, and Arlia herself would stress that she does not strictly own the chocobo, but rather, simply knows he chose her. Ever since the two crossed paths along the dusty trails of Thanalan, they had developed a natural friendship with one another. To Arlia, Piney is the first closest friend she's ever made in her life.

NON-FAMILY

Listed here are the non-family characters, both PC and NPC, that CHARACTER has interacted with enough or in such a way for HIM/HER to form a real opinion about them. Please don't take personal offense if your character isn't listed here, or how the interaction or relationship is described. It isn't that I dislike your character or our RP. I just tend to only add these as necessary for those who make a real impact on CHARACTER, and descriptions are purely based upon in character experiences and opinions!

Last Update... 4/26/2018

* An asterisks denotes that CHARACTER doesn't know the individual's true name.

CHARACTER’s Thoughts:"She's a lot of what I like in a lady... A Thavnairian one at that."

M'ihrima is a colleague of Arlia's. One she hasn't necessarily spoken to on an active basis, but nevertheless, she was essentially prodded into interacting with the woman. Even encouraged to. To Arlia, their initial meeting was quite welcoming. Flirtatious on both parts, unsurprisingly, and one night she simply decided to take a stand and make things more 'official' between the two... Where they go from there remains to be seen, yet Arlia has wholehearted confidence in the match.

Arlia’s Thoughts:"She hopes for the best of anything. The world is brighter with her."

Once coupled, and unfortunately separated. They had spontaneously stumbled upon one another's paths on multiple occasions that eventually sparked a romantic interest in one another. Alas, overtime, Arlia's own spark dwindled and foolishly let herself grow distant with Syf. If asked to, she'd gladly apologize a thousand times to earn forgiveness. While the two keep in touch, there is still a lingering pain of regret whenever she lays eyes upon this magnificent Xaela.

Thoughts:"A little odd in the head, but a joy to be around. And most reliable when it comes to natural remedies and healing."

Emy, a priestess of Nophica and local hedge-witch with a great talent for conjury, was one of the few locals of Black Shroud to openly welcome Arlia with open arms (literally) to their forest home. Since then, the two, while their interactions together were occasional, have come to easily rely on one another. Either for support, company, or even the exchange of necessities they collect around the forest. Emy is largely responsible for most of Arlia's healing and medical needs, given the level of trust and friendship the two have grown over the years.

Thoughts:"Stoic and rather kept to himself. I still owe him much for all the help he's provided me."

Sebastian, a grizzled, stoic Highlander in service with the Twin Adders, was another one of the few local Gridanians who gave a more easy welcome to the young huntress. Although he'd consider them strictly mentor & apprentice, Arlia still views the man as trusted friend, and even as far as proclaiming him as her second father-figure in life. As he was also the one who instructed her in the ways of survivalism, combative disciplines, and life in Black Shroud.

Runa is a travelling Ala Mhigan Shaman, well-respected and known for her great deal of stories of Ala Mhigo and its heroic warriors of eld (or of myth). Her encounter with Arlia was a simple one. A starry night, shared ale, and seats to kick back in with idle talk in one of Black Shroud's taverns. After the night they met, Arlia has found a great interest in Runa--an interest to learn more about their ancestral homeland. Thus, the two bonded, founding a sort of Old Witty Aunt & Niece relation. With her stories and wisdom, Runa, additionally being practiced in tattooing and piercings, is the artist behind all of Arlia's tattoos.

Thoughts:"She boasts the capability of kicking my arse. But 'tis I who will have the last laugh!"

The two met within the Western Highlands of Coerthas, when Arlia was journeying with her sister towards Dravania. After bumping into one another in Ul'dah, the two eventually chose to hit it off with one another. The two sharing much interest in a good fight, a good steak, and one another's jests and boasts. However, despite their blooming relationship, the two would eventually separate due to the unfortunate burden their differing lifestyles would bring. Despite their break-up, they still maintain a friendly relationship--and although Arlia has largely moved on from the matter, there is still a small feeling of guilt leftover since the ordeal.

Thoughts:"I can respect him as a fellow hunter. Nothing less, nothing more... For the time being."

The relationship between Arlia and Gehr'ir is odd, to say the least. At least, in Arlia's mind. The two started off badly, after their immediate first-meeting resulted in Arlia threatening to throw him down a rocky hillside in retaliation for his demand of gil from her sister. And things between then have only worsened, due to her sister's insistence in clinging to the man. In time, however, Arlia's views would change. If she couldn't like him as trusted friend, she could at least respect him as a fellow woodsman. In a sum up, she politely accepts and tolerates his existence and is willing to make up for her early hostilities towards him if given the chance.

RUMORS

These are rumors, both from NPCs and PCs, that one might overhear in regards to CHARACTER. Feel free to utilize these in your RP hooks, or add your own!

ABOUT THE PLAYER

I'm a loser in their twenties. What else could I really say? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I prefer to keep IC and OOC separate like many others, and I've begun roleplaying on forums before moving onto MMOs--starting in Runescape (Pay2WinScape), moving onto Guild Wars 2, and now here in FFXIV. I'm also a person of few words; generally quiet and I don't talk much but it doesn't mean I won't shy away from a conversation. Lastly, while I've dimmed down on the habit of roleplaying, I still very much enjoy it.

Like most RPers, Arlia and I are extremely different personalities; opposites if anything. And while my emotions do occasionally influence her behavior, she is still very much her own being when in-character, and much of her opinions and viewpoints are her own. I love her to bits and could only hope anyone who interacts with her would find some liking for her as well.

I don't normally keep up with my RPC page. It's honestly too much hassle for me to deal with, but maybe some day I'll actually work up the motive to revise it all. For now, please refer to Arlia's charahub page instead! -- http://tiny.cc/Arli-hub

Feel free to take a gander at Arlia's Tumblr! All sorts of screenies and/or stories are to/will be posted there!

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND...

Roleplaying is an occasional habit. Over the years, my urge to RP has dimmed. Maybe it was a lack of motivation or it simply died down in my. But old habits die hard, no? I'm still more than welcome to partake in it and interact. In fact, I'd love to.

I'm a pessimistic-optimist and big crowds put me off. I like to expect the worst in hopes for the best! It's also a bit of a challenge to approach a grouped RP or events. Not that I'd ALWAYS abandon all efforts.

ARLIA IS NOT A FUTA PLAIN AND SIMPLE!

GUIDELINES

As I've mentioned, I try to be an open-minded sort. But like many, I still have my limits regarding what I'm comfortable and uncomfortable with or what I won't allow without some consideration and compromise. These are just a select few I thought were most important to bring up:

I WILL NOT...

Dark Roleplay. Be it a plot/scene involving rape, torture, gruesome & sadistic murder or anything of similar notion, it is simply something I will not engage.

ERP on a whim, if Arlia is single. ERP is no issue. But a quick fix isn't something I will give.

Death or Permanent injury Straightforward no-no. Acceptable or not, it's not in my interest to have my character killed off or permanently crippled/damaged.

I WILL...

Take a hit in RP non-rolling fights If there were ever a time we engage in an RP fight, be it a spar, a brawl, or an all-out hostile fight and /random isn't preferred, I'm more than welcome to play it fair and be able to take a hit, with the hopes that you do the same. Arlia is no stranger to conflict afterall.

Temporary Injury/Captivity/Incapacitation I'm quite alright with such cases, under the agreement they are temporary and are plot-driving scenarios.